Automatic control system for traveling cleaners

ABSTRACT

A control system for a traveling cleaner which travels in first and second directions on an overhead track centered above a row of textile machines, the control system comprising a switch for each textile machine for signifying when it is shut down, and a conductor bar assembly on the overhead track structure at a location between each pair of textile machines electrically connected to the switches of the textile machines located adjacent the conductor bar assembly in the first and second directions therefrom, and a contact arm carried by the traveling cleaner in a position to engage the conductor bar assemblies to activate a relay for stopping the cleaner when the textile machine being approached is shut down.

United States Patent Sloan [75] Inventor: Donald A. Sloan, Winston Salem,

NC. [73 Assigne e The fia hnsdn ffonipah y, WTrfiEn- Salem, NC.

[22] Filed: Oct. 14, 1971 [21] App1.No.: 189,437

[52] US. Cl. ..l5/3l2 R, 15/319 [51 Int. Cl. ..A47I 5/38 [58]. FieldofSearch ..l5/3l2R,312A,3l9

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,184,880 12/1939 Hodge ..l5/312 R 2,378,361 6/1945 Miller ..15/312 R 3,051,978 9/1962 Auffrey 1 15/312 A 3,112,601 12/1963 McCullough 15/312 A X 3,163,879 1/1965 Lamb ..l5/3l9 X 111 3,714,676 1 1 Feb. 6, 1973 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLlCATlONS 7 1,130,984 6/1962 Germany ..15/3l2 R Primary ExaminerEdward L. Roberts Assistant Examiner-C. K. Moore Att0mey-Mason, Fenwick & Lawrence 5 7 1 ABSTRACT A control system for a traveling cleaner which travels in first and second directions on an overhead track centered above a row of textile machines, the control system comprising a switch for each textile machine for signifying when it is shut down, and a conductor bar assembly on the overhead track structure at a location between each pair of textile machines electrically connected to the switches of the textile machines located adjacent the conductor bar assembly in the first and second directions therefrom, and a contact arm carried by the traveling cleaner in a position to engage the conductor bar assemblies to activate a relay for stopping the cleaner when the textile machine being approached is shut down.

10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures AUTOMATIC CONTROL SYSTEM FOR TRAVELING CLEANERS BACKGROUND AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates in general to control systems for automatically exerting control on movement of traveling cleaners for textile machines, especially textile spinning frames, designed to remove lint, dust and other loose materials from the machine and surrounding floor areas. The traveling cleaners with which the control system of the present invention are to be associated are generally known as traveling air blast cleaners designed to travel on a trackway located above and along a plurality of rows of spinning frames and discharge air in high pressure, high velocity blasts or streams from nozzles of depending blower or discharge trunks directed toward selected parts of the spinning frames to clear off the exposed surfaces of the machinery. Such traveling cleaners may also include customary suction trunks to collect the lint and other undesirable material upon its dislodgement from the machinery.

Much effort has been directed to the removal of lint, dust and other loose, undesirable material from textile processing machines such as spinning frames, looms and the like, and the surrounding area in spinning rooms of textile mills, as this material, if allowed to will not interfere with the automatic doffing apparatus. This is specifically achieved by preventing the traveling cleaner from advancing over a spinning frame which has been turned off since turning off of the spinning frame is a necessary condition for dofflng,but to permit the traveling cleaner to continue movement along the overhead track if the spinning frame is shut down while the traveling cleaner is already directly over the frame.

A further object of the present invention is the provi sion of a novel automatic control system for traveling cleaners of the bi-directional type which travel forwardly or backwardly over spinning frames approaching them from either side, the automatic control apparatus being responsive to shutting off of the spinning frame to activate a device which will control a remain on or near the machines, reduces the quality of the textile product when it is drawn into the product and constitutes a continuing fire hazard in the textile mill. The technique usually employed to remove the lint, dust and like material from the spinning frames or similar textile machines is to traverse rows ofthe machines with a traveling blower device which is automatically driven along an overhead track and has a depending air discharge or blower trunk along each side of the textile machine to direct air blasts continuously eminating from the trunk against various parts of the machinery and dislodge the lint. The overhead track or tracks wind throughout the processing room allowing one cleaner to serve many textile machines. The air discharge or blower trunk,and the depending suction trunks customarily employed in such traveling cleaners are conveyed through the alleys between the textile machines.

Difficulties are encountered in using such traveling cleaners with spinning frames which employ apparatus for automatically doffing the frames. Automatic doffing uses the alley ways for a short time interval in order to gather the full bobbins and replace them with empty bobbins. During the doffing interval, it is necessary for the traveling cleaner to be prevented from colliding with the automatic doffing apparatus. Since the traveling cleaner serves many spinning frames requiring frequent cleaning, and since the time interval for doffing is short, allowing for the possibility of the traveling cleaner not encountering the doffing apparatus, effective use of the traveling cleaner could not be achieved by stopping it all together from movement along the overhead track every time a spinning frame required doffing.

An object of the present invention is the provision of automatic control apparatus for traveling cleaners which is operative to keep the traveling cleaner operating as effectively as possible and yet be assured that it switch and relay circuit for cutting off the tractor motor of the traveling cleaner when the traveling cleaner is immediately approaching a spinning frame which has been shut off to stop the traveling cleaner immediately adjacent that machine for the period the machine is shut off.

Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation .view of a traveling cleaner and a plurality of textile machines showing schematically the track and conductor bar assembly embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the conductor bar base assembly employed in the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the conductor bar base assembly;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of the contact arm assembly mounted on the traveling cleaner to coact with the conductor bar base assembly;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the contact arm assembly, with parts broken away to reveal the internal construction thereof; and

FIG. 6 is an electrical schematic diagram of the electricalcircuitry for the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the present invention, the automatic control system of the present invention is designed to be used with a traveling cleaner, of the type indicated generally by the reference character 10 in FIG. 1, which may be of any conventional traveling cleaner construction. Examples of traveling cleaners with which the present invention may be used are disclosed in detail in US. Letters Pat. No. 3,276,065 granted Oct. 4, 1966 or No. 3,486, 184 granted Dec. 30, i969. The traveling cleaner herein illustrated comprises an overhead blower housing 11 of generally rectangular configuration which is substantially centered transversely over the overhead rail structure or trackway 12 and has sufficient width transversely of the textile machine, indicated generally at 13A, 13B, 13C and 13D to dispose the lateral ends or sides of the housing substantially over the aisles flanking the rows of textile machines. The housing 11 may be a self-propelling unit, if desired, but in the herein disclosed embodiment is a towed structure drawn by a motorized tractor 13 which is coupled to the blower housing 11 by a drawbar (not shown) so as to push or pull the housing 11 along the trackway and hence along the row of textile machines. The motorized tractor may be, for example, of the construction described and illustrated in detail in earlier U. S. Pat. No. 3,245,103 granted Apr. 12, 1966, wherein the tractor includes an electrical drive motor furnished with electrical power from electrified conductor rails of conventional construction extending parallel with the trackway, for ex-' ample along the side of the trackway, which are engaged by contact brushes on the tractor to supply electrical energy to the motor of the tractor 13.

The blower housing 11 includes a motor driven blower and an associated blower scroll so designed as to produce high pressure, high velocity air discharge conditions at each side of the housing to supply high pressure air to depending blower trunks 14 extending downwardly from the housing 11 to substantially floor level in the aisles along each of the opposing sides of the textile machines in a row of textile machines. The blower trunks preferably have air discharge nozzles directed inwardly at various selected-positions and angles to discharge air streams transversely inwardly against the sides of the textile machines so as to dislodge lint therefrom. The blower scroll in. the housing 11 is also designed to provide suction conditions in low pressure suction trunks 15, respectively disposed adjacent the blower trunks l4 and having intake nozzle structures at the bottom of the suction trunks, located adjacent the floor level, for sucking up such lint and trash as may be present. The suction trunks may also include, if desired,'a vertical series of spaced intake nozzles located at the general level of the drafting rolls on the textile machines for sucking in air borne lint fly.

A tractor motor shut-off control, indicated generally by the reference character 16, which is an isolation relay described more specifically hereinafter, is located within the traveling cleaner l and is responsive to. the activating device, generally indicated at 17, fastened to the cleaner track, one of which is located between each textile machine. The activating device control-is dependent upon the state of the adjacent textile machine. When power is turned off of the textile machine for doffing or maintenance, the activating device 17 is instrumental in turning off the power of an approaching traveling cleaner; yet it allows a cleaner which is already in the track zone overlying the associated textile machine to leave the zone without stopping.

Specifically the activator 17 comprises an elongated upper conductor bar 18 and a lower conductor bar 19, each formed for example from brass material and each having a straight flat center section 18A, 19A and a rearwardly inclined end portion 18B, 198. The two conductor bars 18, 19 are mounted on a conductor bar base 20 having a height which is slightly greater than the combined height of the two conductor bars 18, 19 and including an elongated flat center section 20A which is coextensive longitudinally with the center sections 18A, 19A of the conductor bars flanked at opposite ends by rearwardly inclined end portions 208 and 20C which are somewhat shorter than the end portions 188 or 198 of the conductor bars. The face of the base member 20 adjacent the conductor bars is covered with insulating tape as indicated at 21 of the double" adhesive type so that it adheres to the face of the base member 20 and also to the rear surfaces of the conductor bars 18, 19. The conductor bars 18, 19 are arranged with their inclined end portions extending in relatively opposite directions, such for example that the inclined end portion 188 of the upper conductor bar 18 extends to the left, as viewed in FIG. 2, while the inclined end portion 198 of the lower conductor bar 19 extends to the right as viewed in FIG. 2. In one example, the total height of the base member 20 may be one and one-eighth inches, while the height of each of the conductor bars 18, 19 may be one-half inch, leaving a separation space of one eighth inch between the lower edge of upper bar 18 and the upper edge of lower bar 19. Also, a nylon pad 22, which may be for example about one sixteenth inch thick and have a length of one inch and a heightof five eighths of an inch is adhesively secured by the tape 21 on the inclined end portion 20C of the base abutting the end of the center section 18A of the upper bar and the upper edge of the inclined end portion 19B of the lower bar, and a similar nylon pad 22 is adhesively secured onto the end portion 208 of the base abutting the end of center section 19A of the lower bar and the lower edge of the inclined end portion 183 of the upper bar. The inclined end portions 188 and 19B of the two conductor bars also have terminal screws 23 threaded into tapped openings in the associated conductor bar or through apertures and secured by nuts on the rear sides of the bars, for attachment of electrical conductors extending to the electrical circuitry to be later described. The base member 20 is provided with a plurality of rearwardly extending threaded studs indicated at 24, four of which are provided in a preferred example, by which the conductor bar assembly formed of the base 20 and the conductor bars 18, 19 are secured to mounting brackets 25 which in turn are secured to the overhead rail 12, for example to the lower flange of the rail 12, for support- -ing the conductor bar assembly in the zone between a pair of the textile machines along the direction of the overhead rail 12. Also a conductor bar assembly is mounted-on the overhead rail just beyond the end of each row of textile machines, either in the leaving dicated by the reference character 26 in FIG. 1, within each textile machine starter circuit, which is in open circuit condition as long as the associated textile machine is operating. The auxiliary contact or switch 26 completes the circuit to ground from the interconnected pair of conductor bars, such as the lower conductor bar 19 on the left hand side of textile machine 138 and the upper conductor bar 18 on the right hand side of the same textile machine.

A movable contact arm assembly, indicated generally by the reference character 30, is mounted on each of the traveling cleaners, by any suitable mounting bracket, such as indicated at 31, fixed to the blower housing 11 or a supporting member depending from the blower housing. The contact arm assembly 30 includes a housing 32 of insulating material having an inclined lower surface 32A and a first cylindrical bore extending upwardly along an axis perpendicular to the inclined lower surface 32A rotatably receiving and journaling a swivel shaft 33 therein which depends below the surface 32A and has an opening in which is fixed a contact arm 34 which projects toward the conductor bar assembly. The swivel shaft 33 has a semicylindrical recess 33A- therein extending to a diameter of the swivel shaft, in which is fitted a tongue 35A of a centering piston 35 journaled in a second bore 323 in the housing 32 which intersects the first mentioned bore. The centering piston 35 is resiliently biased toward the swivel shaft 33.by a coil spring 36 whose compressive force is adjusted by a spring retainer 37 which is threaded into the entrance of the bore 328 and forms a closure therefore. A terminal screw 38 is threaded through an opening in the spring retainer 37 and is in electrical contact with the spring 36, and the electrically conductive centering piston 35 and swivel shaft 33 and contact arm 34, for connection of an electrical conductor from the terminal screw 38 to a control relay device, indicated by the reference character 40, which in the preferred embodiment is an isolation relay as described hereinafter.

The contact arm 34 extends from the location of the housing 32 to a position disposing the end of the con-- tact member 34 slightly rearwardly of the straight center portions 18A, 19A of the conductor bars 18, 19,

so that the end of the contact arm 34 upon approachinga conductor bar assembly will first engage the smooth entrance ramp portion of the conductor bar assembly and cause the contact arm to be rotated about the axis of the swivel shaft 33 in a downstream direction.

.Because of the disposition of the axis of the swivel shaft 33 in an acute angle relationship to the vertical, this causes the contact arm to be rotated slightly downwardly or upwardly, depending upon the direction of travel of the traveling cleaner, to dispose the free end of the contact arm 34 in contact with either the lower conductor bar 19 or the upper conductor bar 18, and thereby achieve directional capability. For example, if the traveling cleaner is moving in a forward direction as indicated by .the arrow labeled FORWARD in FIG. 1, and the contact arm 34 encounters one of the conductor bar assemblies, for example the conductor bars illustrated between the textile machines 13A and 13B, the contact arm 34 will rotate to a down position and make contact with the lower conductor bar 19. Similarly, when the cleaner 10 is moving in a backward direction as indicated by the arrow labeled BACKWARD in FIG. 1, the contact arm 34 rotates upwardly as it rotates downstream about the axis of the swivel shaft 33, and thus contacts the upper conductor bar 18. This arrangement and the provision of two conductor bars 18 and 19 on each conductor bar base are provided in order that the cleaner 10 can continue its journey should the textile machine be turned off while the cleaner was over that textile arm assembly reached the conductor bars between the textile machine 13A and 133, because the contact arm 34 would be swung downwardly into contact with the lower conductor bar 19 which is connected through the auxiliary switch 26 associated with the still operating textile machine 138. i

The electrical control circuit for the cleaner is illustrated schematically in FIG. 6, and is built around an isolation relay, indicated at 40, which in essence consists of anisolation, step-down transformer in combination with a relay that is actuated by shunting the isolated, low voltage secondary of the transformer. The relay remains actuated, either open or closed contacts, as long as the transformer secondary is shunted, but returns to its normal state upon removal of the shunt. The relay40 is used as a pilot or control for a larger current carrying relay 41, which actually controls the power supply to the tractor motor and fan motor of the traveling cleaner. As shown in the schematic circuit of FIG. 6, the coil of power relay 41, whose terminals are indicated at 41A and 41B, is connected in series with the normally closed relay contacts 40A whose terminals are 40C and 40D. Terminals 40E and 40D are terminalsof the transformer primary coil 40B and are supplied voltage from the main power input along the overhead rail 12 by the usual pickup brushes of the traveling cleaner assembly. The transformer secondary of the isolation relay, indicated at 40H, has terminals 40F and 40G. When the transformer secondary terminals 40F and 40G are shunted, the circuit to the coil of the power relay 41 is broken, causing the relay 41 to operate. In the case illustrated, the power relay contacts are closed when the relay 41 is energized by the isolation relay contacts 40A being in the closed condition, and the contacts of the power relay 41 are opened, breaking the supply to the cleaner tractor and fan motors, when the isolation relay contacts 40A open upon shunting of the secondary 40H. In the illustrated embodiment, the terminal 40G of the secondary coil is connected to the grounded chassis of the traveling cleaner, and the terminal 40F is connected to the terminal screw 38 of the contact arm assembly 30 to electrically connect the secondary terminal 40F to the contact arm 34.

Assuming the traveling cleaner 10 is moving in the forward direction as viewed in FIG. l, and is at the illustrated position over the textile machine 13A when the textile machine 138 is shut off, the auxiliary switch 26 of the textile machine starter circuit for textile machine 138 will close when that spinning frame is shut off, thus connecting the lower conductor bar 19 of the conductor bar assembly to the left of textile machine 138 to ground. Thus when the contact arm 34 carried by the traveling cleaner reaches the conductor bar assembly immediately to the left of textile machine 13B, the contact arm 36 is swung downwardly to engage the lower contact bar 19 and since the latter is now connected to ground, the secondary of the isolation relay 40 will be shunted, opening the switch 40A and de-energizing coil of the power relay 4] to break the supply circuit to the tractor and fan motors of the cleaner and cause the cleaner to coast to a stop. When the textile machine 138 is restarted, the auxiliary switch 26 associated therewith opens, breaking the shunt circuit to ground whereby the isolation relay contacts 40A again close, reenergizing the coil of power relay 41 to again complete the supply circuit to the tractor and fan motors of the cleaner.

it should be apparent that if the traveling cleaner was already over the textile machine 13B when that textile machine is shut off, the traveling cleaner will continue to move without stopping, since the lower contact bar 19 which is next engaged by the contact arm is controlled by the auxiliary switch associated with the next textile machine 13C which is operating and therefore does not effect a shunt circuit to ground from the movable contact arm 34. Should the direction of the traveling cleaner be reversed after it has passed the textile machine 138 which was stopped while the traveling cleaner was overhead, the traveling cleaner would stop upon returning to the conductor bar assembly immediately to the right of the textile machine 138, as the contact arm 34 would be swung upwardly when engaging the conductor bar assembly and would contact the upper conductor bar 18 which is now connected to ground through theclosed auxiliary switch 26 of the now stopped textile machine 138.

What is claimed is: p

1. In a traveling cleaner system for a plurality of textile machines aligned longitudinally in a row, including an overhead track structure centered above the textile machines andextending along the row and a motor propelledreversible traveling cleaner movable along the track structure in first and second opposite directions; an automatic control system for the traveling cleaner to stop the traveling cleaner when it immediately approaches any of the textile machines which are shut down and to permit continued travel of the cleaner when a textile machine shuts down while the cleaner is located thereover, said control system comprising a switch for each textile machine for signifying when the associated'textile machine is shut down,

' a conductor bar assembly supported on said track structure at locations between each pair of textile machine and at the ends of said row, each said assembly comprising horizontal, vertically spaced first and second elongated conductor bars, means electrically connecting the first and second bars to said switch of the adjacent textile machines in the first and second directions therefrom, a relay on the cleaner controlling the electrical supply to the propelling motor thereof, and a contact arm coupled to said relay and carried by said cleaner in a position to engage said conductor bar assemblies to be moved thereby into conductive contact only with said first bar or said second bar respectively when said cleaner is traveling in said first direction or said second direction to activate the relay to stop the cleaner only when the switch associated with the engaged bar signifies the textile'machine being approached is shut down. 1

2. A traveling cleaner system as defined in claim 1, wherein said switch for each textile machine is an auxiliary switch conditioned automatically in accordance with the condition of the associated spinning frame to assures an open circuit condition when the associated textile machine is operating and to assume a closed circult condition when the textile machine shuts down, the switch being connected to ground to establish a path from said contact arm to ground when the associated textile machine shuts down.

3. A traveling cleaner system as defined in claim 1, including an isolation relay device coupled tosaid relay comprising an isolation step-down transformer having primary and secondary coils and contacts controlling said relay which are normally closed when the secondary coil of the transformer is not shunted, said secondary coil having the terminals thereof connected to be shunted through said contact arm when the switch connected to the conductor bar engaged thereby is activated by shut down of its associated textile machine to open said contacts controlling said relay.

4. A traveling cleaner system as defined in claim 2, including an isolation relay device coupled to said relay comprising an isolation, step-down transformer having primary and secondary coils and contacts controlling said relay which are normally closed when the secondary coil of the trans-former is not shunted, said secondary coil having one terminal grounded to the traveling cleaner and its other terminal connected to said contact arm to shut said secondary coil when the switch connected to the conductor bar engaged by the contact arm is closed by shut down of the associated textile machine and thereby open said contacts controlling said relay to break the power supply to the cleaner.

5. A traveling cleaner system as defined in claim 1, wherein said contactarm includes a pivot member supported for rotation about a pivot axis inclined at an acute angle to the vertical and located in a plane paralleling the plane of the conductor bars and a radial arm member projecting from said pivot member in a direction to engage the conductor bar assemblies,

means resiliently biasing said arm member to a normal position disposing a free end thereof inwardly beyond the plane of the conductor bars and locating the arm member to be swung down-wardly by physical engagement therewith into sliding electrical contact with said first bar alone when the cleaner is traveling in said first direction and to be swung upwardly into electrical contact with said second bar when the cleaner is traveling in said second direction.

'6. A traveling cleaner system as defined in claim 2, wherein said contact arm includes a pivot member supported for rotation about a pivot axis inclined at an acute angle to the vertical and located in a plane paralleling the plane of the conductor bars and a radial arm member, projecting from said pivot member in a direction to engage the conductor bar assemblies, means resiliently biasing said arm member to a normal position disposing a free end thereof inwardly beyond the plane of the conductor bars and locating the arm member to be swung down-wardly by physical engagement therewith into sliding electrical contact with said first bar alone when the cleaner is traveling in said first direction and to be swung upwardly into electrical contact with said second bar when the cleaner is traveling in said second direction.

7. A traveling cleaner system as defined in claim 3, wherein said contact arm includes a pivot member supported for rotation about a pivot axis inclined at an acute angle to the vertical and located in a plane paralleling the plane of the conductor bars and a radial arm member projecting from said pivot member in a direction to engage the conductor bar assemblies, means resiliently biasing said arm member to a normal position disposing a free end thereof inwardly beyond the plane of the conductor bars and locating the arm member to be swung downwardly by physical engagement therewith into sliding electrical contact with said first bar alone when the cleaner is traveling in said first direction and to be swung upwardly into electrical contact with said second bar when the cleaner is traveling in said second direction.

8. A traveling cleaner system as defined in claim 4, wherein said contact arm includes a pivot member supported for rotation about a pivot axis inclined at an acute angle to the vertical and located in a plane paralleling the plane of the conductor bars and a radial arm member projecting from said pivot member in a direction to engage the conductor bar assemblies, means resiliently biasing said arm member to a normal position disposing a free end thereof inwardly beyond the plane of the conductor bars and locating the arm member to be swung downwardly by physical engagement therewith into sliding electrical contact with said first bar alone when the cleaner is traveling in said first direction and to be swung upwardly into electrical contact with said second bar when the cleaner is traveling in said second direction.

9. A traveling cleaner system as defined in claim 5, wherein said conductor bar assemblies each includes inclined ramp formations at each end thereof inclining inwardly away from the path of the contact arm on the traveling cleaner to be engaged by the free end of the arm member as it approaches the conductor bar assembly and cam the arm member into sole engagement with the first or second bars.

10. A traveling cleaner system as defined in claim 6, wherein said conductor bar assemblies each includes inclined ramp formations at each end thereof inclining inwardly away from the path of the contact arm on the traveling cleaner to be engaged by the free end of the arm member as it approaches the conductor bar assembly and cam the arm member into sole engagement with the first or second bars. 

1. In a traveling cleaner system for a plurality of textile machines aligned longitudinally in a row, including an overhead track structure centered above the textile machines and extending along the row and a motor propelled reversible traveling cleaner movable along the track structure in first and second opposite directions; an automatic control system for the traveling cleaner to stop the traveling cleaner when it immediately approaches any of the textile machines which are shut down and to permit continued travel of the cleaner when a textile machine shuts down while the cleaner is located thereover, said control system comprising a switch for each textile machine for signifying when the associated textile machine is shut down, a conductor bar assembly supported on said track structure at locations between each pair of textile machine and at the ends of said row, each said assembly comprising horizontal, vertically spaced first and second elongated conductor bars, means elecTrically connecting the first and second bars to said switch of the adjacent textile machines in the first and second directions therefrom, a relay on the cleaner controlling the electrical supply to the propelling motor thereof, and a contact arm coupled to said relay and carried by said cleaner in a position to engage said conductor bar assemblies to be moved thereby into conductive contact only with said first bar or said second bar respectively when said cleaner is traveling in said first direction or said second direction to activate the relay to stop the cleaner only when the switch associated with the engaged bar signifies the textile machine being approached is shut down.
 1. In a traveling cleaner system for a plurality of textile machines aligned longitudinally in a row, including an overhead track structure centered above the textile machines and extending along the row and a motor propelled reversible traveling cleaner movable along the track structure in first and second opposite directions; an automatic control system for the traveling cleaner to stop the traveling cleaner when it immediately approaches any of the textile machines which are shut down and to permit continued travel of the cleaner when a textile machine shuts down while the cleaner is located thereover, said control system comprising a switch for each textile machine for signifying when the associated textile machine is shut down, a conductor bar assembly supported on said track structure at locations between each pair of textile machine and at the ends of said row, each said assembly comprising horizontal, vertically spaced first and second elongated conductor bars, means elecTrically connecting the first and second bars to said switch of the adjacent textile machines in the first and second directions therefrom, a relay on the cleaner controlling the electrical supply to the propelling motor thereof, and a contact arm coupled to said relay and carried by said cleaner in a position to engage said conductor bar assemblies to be moved thereby into conductive contact only with said first bar or said second bar respectively when said cleaner is traveling in said first direction or said second direction to activate the relay to stop the cleaner only when the switch associated with the engaged bar signifies the textile machine being approached is shut down.
 2. A traveling cleaner system as defined in claim 1, wherein said switch for each textile machine is an auxiliary switch conditioned automatically in accordance with the condition of the associated spinning frame to assure an open circuit condition when the associated textile machine is operating and to assume a closed circuit condition when the textile machine shuts down, the switch being connected to ground to establish a path from said contact arm to ground when the associated textile machine shuts down.
 3. A traveling cleaner system as defined in claim 1, including an isolation relay device coupled to said relay comprising an isolation step-down transformer having primary and secondary coils and contacts controlling said relay which are normally closed when the secondary coil of the transformer is not shunted, said secondary coil having the terminals thereof connected to be shunted through said contact arm when the switch connected to the conductor bar engaged thereby is activated by shut down of its associated textile machine to open said contacts controlling said relay.
 4. A traveling cleaner system as defined in claim 2, including an isolation relay device coupled to said relay comprising an isolation, step-down transformer having primary and secondary coils and contacts controlling said relay which are normally closed when the secondary coil of the trans-former is not shunted, said secondary coil having one terminal grounded to the traveling cleaner and its other terminal connected to said contact arm to shut said secondary coil when the switch connected to the conductor bar engaged by the contact arm is closed by shut down of the associated textile machine and thereby open said contacts controlling said relay to break the power supply to the cleaner.
 5. A traveling cleaner system as defined in claim 1, wherein said contact arm includes a pivot member supported for rotation about a pivot axis inclined at an acute angle to the vertical and located in a plane paralleling the plane of the conductor bars and a radial arm member projecting from said pivot member in a direction to engage the conductor bar assemblies, means resiliently biasing said arm member to a normal position disposing a free end thereof inwardly beyond the plane of the conductor bars and locating the arm member to be swung down-wardly by physical engagement therewith into sliding electrical contact with said first bar alone when the cleaner is traveling in said first direction and to be swung upwardly into electrical contact with said second bar when the cleaner is traveling in said second direction.
 6. A traveling cleaner system as defined in claim 2, wherein said contact arm includes a pivot member supported for rotation about a pivot axis inclined at an acute angle to the vertical and located in a plane paralleling the plane of the conductor bars and a radial arm member projecting from said pivot member in a direction to engage the conductor bar assemblies, means resiliently biasing said arm member to a normal position disposing a free end thereof inwardly beyond the plane of the conductor bars and locating the arm member to be swung down-wardly by physical engagement therewith into sliding electrical contact with said first bar alone when the cleaner is traveling in said first direction and to be swung upwarDly into electrical contact with said second bar when the cleaner is traveling in said second direction.
 7. A traveling cleaner system as defined in claim 3, wherein said contact arm includes a pivot member supported for rotation about a pivot axis inclined at an acute angle to the vertical and located in a plane paralleling the plane of the conductor bars and a radial arm member projecting from said pivot member in a direction to engage the conductor bar assemblies, means resiliently biasing said arm member to a normal position disposing a free end thereof inwardly beyond the plane of the conductor bars and locating the arm member to be swung downwardly by physical engagement therewith into sliding electrical contact with said first bar alone when the cleaner is traveling in said first direction and to be swung upwardly into electrical contact with said second bar when the cleaner is traveling in said second direction.
 8. A traveling cleaner system as defined in claim 4, wherein said contact arm includes a pivot member supported for rotation about a pivot axis inclined at an acute angle to the vertical and located in a plane paralleling the plane of the conductor bars and a radial arm member projecting from said pivot member in a direction to engage the conductor bar assemblies, means resiliently biasing said arm member to a normal position disposing a free end thereof inwardly beyond the plane of the conductor bars and locating the arm member to be swung downwardly by physical engagement therewith into sliding electrical contact with said first bar alone when the cleaner is traveling in said first direction and to be swung upwardly into electrical contact with said second bar when the cleaner is traveling in said second direction.
 9. A traveling cleaner system as defined in claim 5, wherein said conductor bar assemblies each includes inclined ramp formations at each end thereof inclining inwardly away from the path of the contact arm on the traveling cleaner to be engaged by the free end of the arm member as it approaches the conductor bar assembly and cam the arm member into sole engagement with the first or second bars. 